Stefan was beginning to get frustrated. There was so much to tell and he wanted to see Kannak. At least William had stopped asking questions. "If ye will allow it, I will explain."
"Please. Should I sit down?" Macoran asked.
"If ye prefer, but I doubt ye would stay down for long. 'Twas yer wife who arranged my snatching." Macoran's mouth dropped and he started to speak, but Stefan wouldn't let him. "Toran was captured with me."
"Toran the thief? The one I flogged in the courtyard? He run off just a day or two afore."
"He did not run off, he was sent with a message to yer wife's father. Just afore Toran died, he told me everything. She sent him to say these words exact: 'My husband does not come to my bed. He shames me with another just as yer wife shamed ye. The proof be his daughter.'"
Macoran could hardly speak. "She wanted…she knew Kannak was my daughter and…" He suddenly realized William was there and turned to see the look of shock on his face. But William was smiling. "Ye knew?"
"Everyone knows; she looks just like ye and not at all like Eogan. The only one who dinna know be Kannak."
"Kannak knows too and has for…but that matters not. Stefan, are ye saying my wife hoped for war?"
"Aye, she wanted ye dead and she would have gotten her desire for they are a very large clan with many warriors."
"How well I know. So why are we talking here, hiding in the forest like thieves?"
"Because their plan did not work. Toran was with the Brodies that day and they intended to come up the river at night and take Jirvel and Kannak. For Jirvel and Kannak ye would have gone to war and even if ye did not die, at least Agnes could cause torment by ridding ye o' the lass and the daughter ye loved. Toran was then to come back to ye and say he saw Brodies take them. But they found us instead at the castle and Kannak got away."
"Go on, I am listening."
"I fear yer wife was so furious she tried to burn Jirvel and Kannak alive."
At that, Macoran looked for a place, spotted a log and had to sit down. "I knew the lass hated me, but …"
"Laird Brodie could not release me, so he sold Toran and me into slavery."
Macoran shook his head in disgust. "What say ye I do?"
"Mistress Macoran will be none too pleased to see me. Ye must make certain she has no opportunity of trying to harm Jirvel and Kannak again." It was enough, and Stefan could wait no more. "Where be Kannak?"